DIY: How to reupholster the rear parcel shelf

[Restoman]

All right, I promised about 4 months ago I was going to do this.

Stuff needed:
Super sharp razor blade $.20
3M Super trim adhesive spray$15 (don't be cheap)
Fabric the stuff used here is called faux suede 1/2 yard $7 but I bought 3/4 for 10.40
One full day
10mm socket
17mm socket

Does anyone else know that I need a driver's side black leather sport seat?


You will need to start by removing the rear seat bottom. Pull up or remove screws then pull depending on what year you have.
Remove seat belt anchors for the outisde belts (strap part) with the 17mm socket.
The rear seat back will come out with a 10mm socket on the bolt on the lower edges of the seat. There is a leg that comes down 3" on the side unbolt that. Move the panel cloth or vynil and you will find it. Pull up on the seat and it comes off some hooks. Now be careful with the seat it will tear the sides of your interior. And don't bend the legs.

The 10mm bolts.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01153.jpg

Remove the speakers. These are mounted to the cardboard shelf and not the sheetmetal. The shelf migt snap if it has to hold the weight of the speakers

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01154.jpg

Remove the 3rd brake light. The back cover snaps off, I think, someone clarify this. I can't remember right now. Remove everything but the bracket. Unplug the harness and shove it down through the shelf.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01158.jpg

At this point only the seat belt covers and a clip like the ones that hold on our door panels are holding it on. Remove the seat belt covers by prying up on them. The suck. Up and towards you gets them going. Next thead the things off the seat belts. now take the seat belt bracket that is loose and shove it back through the shelf. The clip is right smack in the middle of the shelf. Mine released when I pulled up.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01159.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01156.jpg

This is what a butt ugly blue shelf looks like out of the car.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01161.jpg

Now remove all of the trimmings: The 4 vents on the back, just push through. The tail light bracket.



Now start peeling the carpet off where ever you can find a loose piece. If you start peeling the card board off with the carpet come from a different direction. You don't want to peel off much. Use a razor blade when you get near curves to relieve tension so you don't bend the board.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01162.jpg

I have to say I like this better than the blue carpet.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01163.jpg

I laid my fabric down like shown and then sprayed the board. I did not spray my fabric, nor did I spray it 3 times, but I did wait about a minute and a half for it to dry a little.
DO NOT spray the whole shelf then lay the whole bit of fabric all at once.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01164.jpg

From here on out you will screw up. Just so you know. I did, I put too much glue down and now it looks like a jizz stain. It's a BMW so I'm saying it is one. Sounds better than what really happened. Take it easy and think before you spray. Don't use Alcantra your first time. Too expensive and you will mess it up. So spend $7 on some good looking cheap faux suede and have fun.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01165.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01166.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/Restoman_photos/DSC01167.jpg

Here are the rest of the pics. Any questions, ask here. If you feel they are too dumb of questions PM me. I'll understand

[dk]

good show, man, nice DIY.

[nomade30]

Sticky this, it's a good write up on how to do it, i plan to do mine here soon. Just can't find the right fabric...

[dk]

done.

[nomade30]

any ideas on where to get the fabric and the adhesive?

[the pirate]

I saw that adheasive at the local Ace hardware store so I'm guessing just any hardware store would have it.

good write up.

[Chris]

You did an awesome job.

[Restoman]

Fabric can be found anywhere. Walmart, Handcocks, Hobby Lobby (where mine came from), Kmart. The glue is at just about every car parts store. Advance Auto is where I found mine.
The plastic clip on the shelf needs to be covered with tape if you are putting a fabric down that is less heavy than the carpet on there now. This will keep the fabric from dipping down into the hole.

[dom]

very nice job on that. it looks great.

[Real Classic]

i just painted mine. It turned out alright. was worried about the smell of paint. There was none.

[Restoman]

i just painted mine. It turned out alright. was worried about the smell of paint. There was none.

But suede looks pure sex. Painting must have been a lot less trouble though. Do you have any pictures so everyone can see for themselves?

[nefarious7907]

I dyed mine black it came out really nice, but since I have no AC and the windows down 90% of the time I am driving there seems to be a lot of debris collecting on my shelf.

[new2bmw]

I did mine using the spray adhesive. I bought cotton batting to use under the leather but i thought i would try leaving the carpet and just spraying it, and it worked. I think when you have the padding under the fabric it looks better. Mines not perfect but it went smooth for my first try.
great write up, nice job!
Heres mine
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i145/new2bmw/awesome%20color/DSCN6158.jpg

[Restoman]

Wow! that looks good. Are those 5.25" speakers there? Did you have to cut anything to make them fit?

[new2bmw]

thanks man. They are 6.5 and i didnt have to cut anything. they fit perfect, i was very surprised. They sound great.

[StereoInstaller1]

Guys, let me tell you...if you have an air compressor, go buy a Harbor Freight cheap ass $10 spray gun (normal automotive spray gun) and buy "Landau Top Adhesive" to glue your upholstery with. Most every Upholstery supply shop will carry the glue, expect $25/gallon, spray it just as it sits. If you use it even once a month, you gallon will last a year in the gun, then just throw it away.

I did "BrownTowns" rear deck when I did his installation. We used carpet, even though he had suede with him (not sure what kind, Alacantra I believe) and it came out perfectly.
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m117/stereoinstaller1/Josh%20B%20Install/P1040315.jpg

[flawdaboi407]

^^ that is the bast method used by professional speaker enclosure builders.

[new2bmw]

what is the little black plastic peice i found attached to my shelf? it is flat about 3 inches long and looks like it was randomly placed? it was attached like it is supposed to be there though. it was located near the third brake light.

[Restoman]

I think the middle seat belt buckle can be stored in an up position. That was my guess. Mine was broken so I removed it. Best thing to do would be put tape over it so the fabric does not divit.

[e30edward]

i did my shelf in faux suede and then it faded in two months. would real suede fade like that?

[Breadman29]

Hey guys did mine with vinyl and fabric paint. Painted all the pieces too since everything looked really faded, next to the newly painted carpet. I too wanted to figure out what the little triangle piece was used for. Well I just tried for about 20 minutes to upload my photos.
I think I'm a bit retarded, since I can't get them to work. Sorry, my thread is now pointless, other than to say Ohhhh, me too! I did it too! Sorry!

[Restoman]

Hey guys did mine with vinyl and fabric paint. Painted all the pieces too since everything looked really faded, next to the newly painted carpet. I too wanted to figure out what the little triangle piece was used for. Well I just tried for about 20 minutes to upload my photos.
I think I'm a bit retarded, since I can't get them to work. Sorry, my thread is now pointless, other than to say Ohhhh, me too! I did it too! Sorry!

The triangle is to put the end of the middle seat belt in so it doesn't flop around.

[coupelove]

nice job makes a big difference.

[dom]

great thread. I used this to help me remove my shelf.

[dudem3]

I just did mine, following same basic instructions from orignal post and it looks awesome. Only took me about 2 hours though not a whole day. Make sure the fabric you get can stretch a little so you can work it around the corners. $10 for a can of spray adhesive and $6 for a yard of ultra suede fabric is one of the cheapest but most effective upgrades you will ever do.

[kronus]

I did this yesterday. I found everything I needed in Wal-Mart for about 18 bucks total. The cloth is black fleece, and feels nice and durable.

I did have one accidental jizz-stain :(

http://xs122.xs.to/xs122/07523/00001resized.jpg
http://xs122.xs.to/xs122/07523/00002resized.jpg

[White325is]

DAMN Kronus, yours is the shit!!! LOL
I cant wait to do mine ....

[flawdaboi407]

Heres mine with 6x8"s and Stock Ford Econoline 6x8 speaker grills.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee178/flawdaboi318i/mycar009.jpg

[StereoInstaller1]

Man, you guys need to swap over to late model rear decks...it looks 1000X better, IMO.

[kronus]

What's the difference between the types of decks?

[StereoInstaller1]

What's the difference between the types of decks?
Early:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m117/stereoinstaller1/P1030684.jpg
Late:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m117/stereoinstaller1/Lukes%20325is%20install/P1040189.jpg

[kronus]

ah, so the 3rd brake light being more integrated into the deck is the only significant form change, it looks like.

Actually, I kinda like the early 318i's deck flawdaboi posted. It's sleek!

[JasonC]

ah, so the 3rd brake light being more integrated into the deck is the only significant form change, it looks like.

Actually, I kinda like the early 318i's deck flawdaboi posted. It's sleek!
All US e30's from 1985 and back don't have the 3rd brake light.

[flawdaboi407]

I like it too. Its going to stay.

[StereoInstaller1]

I like it too. Its going to stay.
Oh, no doubt. If I had a car without the third brake light, I would rock the smooth rear deck. The other issue for later model guys is rear seatbelt retractor location...it stick outs above the rear deck.

Luke

[So Live]

Can you use a "new" old style with the big 3rd brake light, ditch the light and cover over it?

[Boarderx192]

Yes. I did it to mine. This isnt the best pic of it but you can do it.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E30/Picture040-1.jpg

[Slowman]

Hmm... my '84 e has a third rear brake light. Why would someone bother to hook one up, assuming it didn't come with one?

[patosdream]

niceeeeeeeeee !

[e30etakid]

I was contemplating taking out the third brake light to.
I've never like them what so ever.

[Hutto]

with leather, Im getting folds...so what i was wondering is if I put cotton batting under it like someone else on here did, would it still fold or would it make the slope less drastic?

or is there another way to get the leather not to fold?

and just to clarify its not the speaker holes or any other holes, its at the corners next to the speaker holes

[usna92]

Are you spraying the adhesive on the outside of the carpet or the underside and pressing/stretching to fit the board?

[Hutto]

im just test fitting it and the leather wrinkles bad

[kronus]

Ok, leather is not stretchy enough to fit around the tight curves that the rear shelf has.

I did mine with felt, and at points where even the felt wasn't stretchy enough to not make folds, I cut it so that it would go down flat. If you do it right and butt the edges together, the seam won't be visible.


usno92 - I sprayed it on the board and let it dry a little bit, then fit the felt over it.

The corners next to the speaker holes are tough - try instead of going down into the corner, going up out of it, if you understand what I mean. See how stretchy your leather is.

[steaksause123]

when i tried this i found it was pretty easy to use thick super glue on the under side to keep the extra fabric tight instead of using staples like the original fabric used to have